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The undead are being defeated one after the other.

Shishou headed to the location where Princess Hilmera was to settle the score.

These undead might gather onto Shishou if Princess Hilmera is at a disadvantage.

It is not like I don’t trust Ilias, but I have to eliminate the danger that comes to Shishou.

“Fuuh… Fuuh…”

My mana is fine, but my stamina is suffering a bit.

I would normally be able to reduce the burden on my body by using simple magic, but I can’t use magic right now, so the recoil of using mana is going back to my body as it is.

Ekdoik-san would be able to accurately utilize just the bare minimum mana necessary, but I am not that skilled.

It is at times like this that I am grateful for being an Illegitimate.

I fix my breathing while searching for my next target.

My nose doesn’t work that well because of the putrid smell of corpses, but I still have it easier compared to everyone else who can’t use magic.

“—!”

I noticed a familiar scent within the varied scents here and stopped my feet.

This is…

“Heya there, Wolfe. You are acting separately?”

“…Mur…shto.” (Wolfe)

The one standing there is Murshto.

He looks a bit different from normal. A part of his armor is broken, and there’s blood stains here and there.

The scent of blood coming from him… This is Haakudoku and Masetta’s…

I take a stance and increase my guard.

This person is an enemy.

This person is from the side of Princess Hilmera who Shishou is trying to stop.

Not only that, Haakudoku and Masetta…

“No hesitation. To think you can direct hostility with no hesitation just like Haakudoku. It makes me think I should learn a bit more about conduct.” (Murshto)

“…Your face says you don’t think that at all.” (Wolfe)

“Enough to at least think about it.” (Murshto)

The two of them are alive, or…? No, what I must think of right now is the person in front of my eyes.

I don’t know if to call it my instincts, but something inside of me is telling me that this person is dangerous.

I faintly felt from the first time I saw him that I should kill him if possible. Murshto will surely become someone that would harm Shishou.

I always had that feeling gripping me, so I could accept him being an enemy in this fashion.

But there’s still one question inside of me.

There’s something I don’t understand exactly because I understood him a bit.

“…Why… You chose the path to be an enemy of Shishou…and yet, why do you look like you are having so much fun?” (Wolfe)

This person likes Shishou.

I can clearly tell that this person loves Shishou.

Yet he doesn’t show even a bit of hesitation to become an enemy of Shishou.

Why can he do something like that? I don’t get that at all.

This is not something to ask an enemy, but learning about your enemy is also something necessary in order to win against them.

This person is definitely strong. Maybe even stronger than me.

That’s why I must learn about this person as much as possible.

“…I see. You are the type that bottles up your own emotions.” (Murshto)

“…?”

“You don’t have a clear shape for your own wish. You desire him, but you are not trying to discern what it is he wants.” (Murshto)

Murshto drew his sword and pointed the tip of it at me.

His eyes had no hostility or disgust in them, and I could even feel pity.

“You would wish for their everything if it is for the one you love. But what would you choose when that everything is placed on a scale? Would you be able to give an answer without hesitation?” (Murshto)

“I don’t understand what you mean by that. What are you trying to say?” (Wolfe)

“I…” (Murshto)

Murshto stated his own objective with an unchanging expression.

What he is trying to achieve in this battle, what he is trying to do to Shishou, and what kind of conclusion he wishes for.

When I heard that, I understood… I ended up sympathizing…

I was jealous… I faintly thought that maybe if I had created that conclusion myself…

“You… You are…!” (Wolfe)

But more than that, I felt an emotion inside of my heart moving, taking a more defined color.

I must kill this man here and now.

I must not let this man meet Shishou.

“Aah, I figured this would happen. The shape of that killing intent filled with jealousy is extremely alluring.” (Murshto)

I blasted mana and closed the distance with fist at the front, but Murshto blocked it with his sword.

Heavy.

It is as if I was stopped by a block of steel.

It is not like this person is heavy. It is most likely that he stopped the shockwave of my punch completely.

The mana strengthening of the knights of Taizu like Ilias and Cara-jii is not just a plain strengthening. It has malleability that excels in deflecting impact.

But Ilias and the others don’t rely solely on that. They use their techniques with their weapons to deflect the impact as well.

Even the Scarlet Demon Lord deployed several barriers.

It resembled the Scarlet Demon Lord who stopped my punch with his bare hands. But I felt like that had some sort of mysterious power at play.

Murshto is not using some sort of technique or special power to stop my fist. He managed to absorb the impact with just his mana strengthened body.

I can tell this person is abnormal just from this.

This person has something that would make him be called a monster just like me.

The sturdiness of his body must be that.

“That’s an extravagant way of using mana. I am impressed that you don’t run out of breath like that.” (Murshto)

“Fuuh!” (Wolfe)

This person stopped my punch, but he isn’t that fast.

Then, I should be able to land a direct hit if I raise the speed more.

I propel myself back and forth, moving swiftly around Murshto to confuse him.

I can tell he is chasing me with his eyes, but he really reacts slower than Ilias.

“A Yugura Illegitimate…right? Your talent stands out more in flashiness compared to Arcreal.” (Murshto)

Just when Murshto’s gaze was about to move to the side, I propel myself with my mana in a different direction. I slip below him from the front and prepare my fists.

He hasn’t taken a stance and he hasn’t been able to catch me in his vision.

I burst out the mana that I accumulated in my fist and smashed it onto his stomach.

“?!”

Gradona and Niruryates said: You must keep your mind in place until the battle is settled.

It is not like the opponent will be sent flying even if you hit them. That if I am in a distance where my attacks can reach, that’s also the case for my opponent. Shishou called that ‘following through’.

I managed to avoid this counterattack because I had that advice.

I attacked him from a position where he shouldn’t have been able to see, and yet, a blade approached me the very moment my punch landed.

This man guessed how I would attack and swung his sword as if he predicted it.

“That was fast. Also, your punches are pretty heavy. Keeping my meals light today was the correct choice.” (Murshto)

“…!”

Him matching my attack means that my movements were read. That’s why he must have amplified his mana strengthening right before the moment.

But the attack just now was serious. It had enough firepower to blow up the head of a dragon from the Taizu Nether.

There’s no way it had no effect on him, and yet…

Murshto is bringing out his talent as an Illegitimate better than me. I must think that’s the case.

“Don’t worry. It really did hurt. Haakudoku was better when it came to aiming since he targeted a vital point though.” (Murshto)

The damage around his chest was from Haakudoku…

We are talking about that person here, so he most likely landed a hit after catching him off-guard, but…

It is true that I should be aiming for a vital point. The points Gradona has taught me.

Skilled people won’t try to evade even if they get hit by an attack. I ended up getting careful about being predicted if I targeted a vital point carelessly.

“You must have absorbed a lot of things from outstanding people. You desired power in many facets for his sake, for the sake of offering it to him. The shape of your heart is like that of a tree growing in reverse… Looks like there’s no need to watch.” (Murshto)

“?!”

The moment I thought the ground Murshto was standing on exploded, Murshto appeared right in front of me.

I blast mana from my side on reflex to evade.

Cold sweat flowed out from me when I felt the wind pressure of his sword brushing my skin.

That speed just now was as fast as Ilias…no, maybe even faster than Ragudo-san…

“Aha, you can avoid it normally, contrary to Haakudoku.” (Murshto)

Haakudoku can’t avoid that attack just now.

He might be able to begin evasive maneuvers before the attack comes out with his danger detection as an Illegitimate, but that still wouldn’t make it in time.

Even I can’t avoid it that easily.

But it would be the end if I were to get hit directly by it even once.

“Fuuh, fuuh… Fuh!” (Wolfe)

I fix my breathing…and attack.

A body that can endure a dash that was brought forth by abnormal degrees of mana strengthening is the talent of Murshto.

That speed is a threat, but I am sure Murshto can’t make minute adjustments at that speed.

I couldn’t feel any motions of predicting my movements at the time when I dashed in and attacked him. His action was an extremely simple one.

In that case, if I don’t stay in his very front and maintain myself at his sides and at his back, he shouldn’t be able to do that atta—

“That’s your next move, huh. Then, let’s gamble!” (Murshto)

“?!”

Murshto raised his sword in front and, just when I thought he was hitting the wrong direction, it curved while still maintaining the speed.

Once, twice, it continued curving without losing speed, tracing his surroundings without rest.

He is looking straight ahead, and yet, when I evaded attacks that were on the verge of reaching me, he would immediately face my direction and rush in.

He is not just making random moves here.

He is most likely using some sort of instinct here to corner me.

“—Kuh!”

I can’t go about this with just mana strengthening. I use the mana propelling to finally manage to evade it.

Me evading in this manner is a big move, so using it consecutively utilizes quite a lot of mental strength.

I avoid, confirm his next move, avoid…no good. I will lose sight of Murshto at this rate…!

“!”

I couldn’t evade in time, so I reflexively brought my gauntlets to the front to block it.

But the impact of it was so strong I couldn’t resist it, so I was sent flying in the air.

“—Kahah!”

My breathing stopped.

I was on the verge of losing consciousness.

I will lose if things keep up like this.

Maintain consciousness… Don’t lose sight of the situation… Don’t accept death!

I bite my lips to the point of tearing and secure my vision.

I get a grasp of what kind of posture I have in midair, propel myself with mana, and fix my posture.

“Oh, did it hit?” (Murshto)

Murshto reacted to the sensation of hitting something and stopped his rush.

The shoulder of his armor is extremely dented.

He must have hit my gauntlet with that part.

But there’s no sign of him being injured. As for me…!

I thought I wasn’t that injured since I didn’t feel the pain, but my left arm that took on the tackle was in a terrible state.

The gauntlet has completely lost its original shape, and is only a lump of metal with blood dripping out from it.

I think I can still emit mana from it, but I don’t think I will be able to lift it properly.

My elbow and shoulder are probably broken.

“Fuuh…! Fuuh…!”

“Nice, I like those eyes. The eyes of a beast that still have killing intent in them…eyes that haven’t given up yet.” (Murshto)

Murshto takes a stance again.

I probably won’t be able to stand anymore if I get hit again by that attack.

I should be able to avoid it if I were to jump to the rampart nearby and stick to it.

But if he predicts that action of mine, I would end up being hit directly by the tackle of his in an unstable posture.

In the first place, I can’t kill this man even if I were to concentrate on evading.

I have no means to stop that technique, so I have to think of a method to defeat him with that in mind.

“…!”

I take distance by propelling myself with mana.

Murshto should be able to reach me with one dash, but I can at least create time for me to react.

I take a low stance and concentrate mana in my right arm.

I know how much mana I can emit at once with my experiences until now.

If I try bringing out more power than that, my body won’t be able to endure the recoil even with mana strengthening.

But it is not like I can’t bring out more if I wanted to.

I am sure I would be able to use mana beyond my limits if I don’t think about what will happen to my body.

This is brushing the line of compromise between what Shishou doesn’t want me to do and what I can do for the sake of Shishou.

“…Nice. I will tag along…with that resolve of yours.” (Murshto)

Murshto also lowered his body deeply and charged straight at me.

It is faster than before, but I can’t match the timing at this distance.

Charge up…charge up…a bit more…too soon…just a bit more… —Here!

“Yaah!”

I unleashed all the mana I accumulated in my right arm and smashed Murshto with this attack that carried my everything.

—–

Author: Haakudoku landed a good hit on Murshto, so Murshto is keeping his mana strengthening high at all times in the battle against Wolfe.

It is an enemy that’s full tank, but the side of the protagonist has a lot of characters with low HP now that I look at it like this.

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